Psychologists say "Um" and "Uh" have meaning

[sgdp]

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=97983&page=1

Though it may not have the meaning we think.

I found this article while doing some research. I agree that Obama tends to overuse these disfluencies, and thought this might be of interest to some here. :)

Would quote, but the website won't let me. Hrm.

[bella-day]

I hope you don't mind that I quote it for you.


So, there are these, uh, psychologists who believe that um, I mean, they're trying to prove that those little stops and starts that are, you know, used in conversational speech are, like, legitimate words.
Herbert Clark of Stanford University and Jean Fox Tree of the University of California at Santa Cruz have spent years listening to recordings of spontaneous conversations and speech to analyze the role of "ums" and "uhs" in language.
And unlike previous linguists, they've concluded these so-called disfluencies and discourse markers represent something more than clumsy speakers having trouble expressing themselves — they also serve a role for listeners.
Conversation Managers
"People use these phrases in a very particular, deliberate way," says Clark. "If we anticipate a delay in our speech, we choose the appropriate sound to signal this to the listener. These phrases mean 'I need to make sure you realize I'm delaying because I'm having trouble.'"
By signaling a delay is coming, a speaker avoids a silent gap in conversation that might otherwise prove confusing to a listener.
"When we talk, we have to do two things," says Clark. "We have to pay attention to the content of what we're saying and also keep track of the interaction of two people talking."
Phrases like "um" and "uh" and "you know" play an important role in language, he argues, by serving as a speaker's "conversation managers" in the human interaction aspect of conversation.
That idea runs counter to the thinking of Noam Chomsky, a renowned linguist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who argued in the mid-1960s that such phrases are simply "errors in applying knowledge of language in actual performance." Chomsky didn't consider "um" and "uh" part of proper language and he influenced a generation of linguists to exclude such phrases from linguistic theory.
Um vs. Uh
Clark and Fox Tree are working to change that tide by proving these phrases play specific roles in conversation. Their analyses show that the "um" sound almost always sets up a long delay in speech, while the sound "uh" signals only a brief pause.
Speakers also extend the vowels of words for the same effect. When people have trouble finishing a sentence, for example, they're more likely to extend the vowel in "the" to sound like "thee" as they search for the next word.
Occasionally becoming stuck mid-sentence is natural, argues Clark, considering that people speak 120 to 150 words per minute — or two to 2 ½ words per second — during normal conversation. At that rate, it's only natural to experience a few stops and starts.
Studies show that disfluencies make up an average of 6 percent to 10 percent of spontaneous speech. And all languages have them. The French say "eu" and "em," Spanish speakers say "eh" and "pues" and Japanese say "etto" and "ano" to name a few.
Like, You Know


So Americans are not the only ones to uses speech bridges. I guess that makes sense. We are all human of course...we just speak different languages.

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing it.

[Oddball]

Herbert Clark of Stanford University and Jean Fox Tree of the University of California at Santa Cruz have spent years listening to recordings of spontaneous conversations and speech to analyze the role of "ums" and "uhs" in language.
That's all I needed to see.

[Clamp]

I thought this thread was going to go for the ummah angle...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ummah

[sgdp]

I hope you don't mind that I quote it for you.



So Americans are not the only ones to uses speech bridges. I guess that makes sense. We are all human of course...we just speak different languages.

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing it.

Thanks! I couldn't get the text to copy. I guess "like" is the new "um". I always thought "like" made people sound so stupid, but I get it now. :mrgreen:

[sgdp]

I thought this thread was going to go for the ummah angle...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ummah

"My ummah, my ummah
He will say
Rasulullah on that day
Even though we’ve strayed from him and his way


My brothers, my sisters, in Islam
Let’s struggle, work, and pray
If we are to
Bring back the glory of his way
Ya Allah ya rabbal ‘alamin
Ya rahmanu ya rahim
Ya rabbi
O Allah Lord of the Worlds
O Merciful and Beneficent
O my Lord"

Like that? :mrgreen:

[ChloeP]

Mahna mahna

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTXyXuqfBLA

[Livey]

"It's true if you use these words too much it can be distracting," she says. "Then you're constantly forcing the listener to try and finish your thoughts."

Maybe this is why Obama is so incredibly annoying and frustrating to listen to. I wish he could spit it out and get to the darn point.

Interesting article :-)

[Claymore]

Psychologists say "Um" and "Uh" have meaning

It means BHO is freekin' lost without his teleprompter.

[sgdp]

Mahna mahna

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTXyXuqfBLA

UGHHHH! This will be in my head for days. Thanks. :evil:

[ChloeP]

UGHHHH! This will be in my head for days. Thanks. :evil:


You are ever so welcome :whistle:

[ScottFree]

These psychologists just happened to have been studying this for years.

Yeah right! :rolleyes:

Just another example of Obama apologists brainwashing the public into believing they made the right choice.

[Marleysdaddy]

These psychologists just happened to have been studying this for years.

Yeah right! :rolleyes:


Are you accusing these psychologists of academic dishonesty?

[ValricoKate]

"People use these phrases in a very particular, deliberate way," says Clark. "If we anticipate a delay in our speech, we choose the appropriate sound to signal this to the listener. These phrases mean 'I need to make sure you realize I'm delaying because I'm having trouble.'"
By signaling a delay is coming, a speaker avoids a silent gap in conversation that might otherwise prove confusing to a listener.

It seems to me that the increasing prevalence of this is because people are becoming very rude and are not really listening, just waiting for the point in which to jump into a conversation to make their ever so important point.

I have known speakers who use the silent gap. It is very effective, if people are actually interested in what the speaker has to say rather than waiting for a chance to step on the conversation.

Perhaps our president was constantly interrupted and couldn't get a word in edgewise as a child and he wants to ensure that people know he is not finished.

I find too many uh's and ems to be annoying. But I can understand it in that context.

[johnrocks]

I know a poster who is very condescending who is no longer with us that starts off their posts with "Um" a lot, it's a real turn off for me, it's like they are trying to say "look st me, I'm, "uh" smarter than you are".

[ValricoKate]

I know a poster who is very condescending who is no longer with us that starts off their posts with "Um" a lot, it's a real turn off for me, it's like they are trying to say "look st me, I'm, "uh" smarter than you are".

I vaguely recall that now I'm going to be wracking my brain all day trying to remember who is was!

:((

[sgdp]

"People use these phrases in a very particular, deliberate way," says Clark. "If we anticipate a delay in our speech, we choose the appropriate sound to signal this to the listener. These phrases mean 'I need to make sure you realize I'm delaying because I'm having trouble.'"
By signaling a delay is coming, a speaker avoids a silent gap in conversation that might otherwise prove confusing to a listener.

It seems to me that the increasing prevalence of this is because people are becoming very rude and are not really listening, just waiting for the point in which to jump into a conversation to make their ever so important point.

I have known speakers who use the silent gap. It is very effective, if people are actually interested in what the speaker has to say rather than waiting for a chance to step on the conversation.

Perhaps our president was constantly interrupted and couldn't get a word in edgewise as a child and he wants to ensure that people know he is not finished.

I find too many uh's and ems to be annoying. But I can understand it in that context.

This happens to me in the public forum all the time. I can't get a word in edgewise, and the other two just sit there talking over each other. :rolleyes:

What the people listening must think! (SHUT UP!!!!)

And it's not that I am interjecting with opinion, but some relevant piece of information. Nobody cares what my opinion is, and nobody cares about the others' either.

Please shut up! :evil:

[RickRhetoric]

You know, those psychologists have a point. People use "ums" and "uhs", you know, to borrow a little time ... you know, to get their, you know, brains in gear before they speak. Same as, you know, "well." When a person is asked a question and he begins his response with "Well, I think ... ", it means he doesn't really know what he's talking about and is trying to, you know, say something intelligent anyway. You know.

[sgdp]

You know, those psychologists have a point. People use "ums" and "uhs", you know, to borrow a little time ... you know, to get their, you know, brains in gear before they speak. Same as, you know, "well." When a person is asked a question and he begins his response with "Well, I think ... ", it means he doesn't really know what he's talking about and is trying to, you know, say something intelligent anyway. You know.

That's it! I just realized what they meant now. Thanks for the insight, because now I think...

It's the Miss America move. Fill the void space with gibberish and generalities while you're actually thinking. Repeat the question and add, "Well, I do believe that what we should do is...."

Spot on! Good catch.

[johnrocks]

I vaguely recall that now I'm going to be wracking my brain all day trying to remember who is was!

:((

I can PM if you like.:cool:

[sgtmac_46]

Psychologists say "Um" and "Uh" have meaning

It means BHO is freekin' lost without his teleprompter.

Yes, that's pretty much the conclusion of this waste of research dollars concluded.....

"People use these phrases in a very particular, deliberate way," says Clark. "If we anticipate a delay in our speech, we choose the appropriate sound to signal this to the listener. These phrases mean 'I need to make sure you realize I'm delaying because I'm having trouble.'" http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=97983&page=1

So if the teleprompter's broken, i.e. we 'anticipate a delay in our speech' we 'deliberate' stutter and stammer to 'signal this to the listener'........great use of research money there, geniuses! :wall: :doh:

[sgtmac_46]

Are you accusing these psychologists of academic dishonesty? I'm accusing them of wasting money on obvious conclusions.......that....uhm......we we can't......uhm.......think of......er.......something else to say......uhm.....fast enough.......we......uhm.....stutter and stammer.....

[ConstitutionHugger]

Psychologists say "Um" and "Uh" have meaning

It means BHO is freekin' lost without his teleprompter.

BINGO!!!!!!

It makes me sick that the media hails him as the "world's best orator/speaker" yet he would've failed both my speech class in high school and the one in college for his overabundant use of "crap I'm lost" words and phrases, and HE EVEN BUMBLES WHEN HE HAS THE TELEPROMPTER!!!!!!!
What an idiot

[NascarGirl2448]

Psychologists say "Um" and "Uh" have meaning

It means BHO is freekin' lost without his teleprompter.

So basically they just spent a ton of money telling us our president is an idiot. Gotcha.

[ConstitutionHugger]

So basically they just spent a ton of money telling us our president is an idiot. Gotcha.

Hey they gotta look busy, so they can keep the govt money coming!